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Heavy metal toxicity to fish and the influence of water hardness

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Abstract

Toxicity tests with rainbow trout confirm that cadmium is less toxic in hard water (96 hr LC50=2.6 mg Cd/L) than in soft water (96 hr LC50=1.3 mg Cd/L). Water quality studies indicate that this is not due to a chemical reduction of available cadmium in hard water and no significant differences in cadmium uptake were detected between fish from the two levels of hardness. Possible explanations for the effect of hardness on heavy metal toxicity to fish are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biology, University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, PO Box 13, CF1 3XF, Cardiff, UK

    David Pascoe, Sian A. Evans & Jean Woodworth

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  1. David Pascoe
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  2. Sian A. Evans
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  3. Jean Woodworth
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Pascoe, D., Evans, S.A. & Woodworth, J. Heavy metal toxicity to fish and the influence of water hardness. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 15, 481–487 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01056559

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01056559

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